VIC/TAS Campuses

What an incredible time to be involved in campus ministry. The university year might be coming to a close but students are running red hot.

With June and July being exam and holiday periods, on campus action has occurred only during August in this quarter.

On the 17th of August we had the radical outbreak event which was the launch for our week of prayer and fasting. It was an incredible night where God spoke clearly to a number of students and graduates who were there. Amy released a song she wrote at the national leaders training last July, Warren spoke a now word, and there was a strong prophetic ministry time. Big thank you to Dale and Claire Hembrow for the hours you put into the behind the scenes set up of the event.

Please keep praying for us as we seek to increase everything we are doing, and work towards student lead groups on every campus in Victoria.

April+May Update 2013:

Plenty is happening across the state of Victoria. This semester alone through the Valiant efforts of Ken we have seen SFC groups started on another 3 campus with weekly prayer groups now occurring on those campuses. Kelly and her prayer warriors out in Ballarat Uni are praying it up on campus everyday. Shannon and his crew at Latrobe Bundoora are going great guns as they always do. Michelle and the guys at Vic Uni are looking to consolidate and push hard at mid year o week. Randy and his team have been thrown in the leadership deep end but are coming up with the goods, with prayer, weekly meetings and outreach all occurring on campus. Ps. Darrel and Jahzeel ripped it up at the welcome dinner in Warrnambool. Ps. Phillip and Eunice are seeing great things happen at Monash Uni Parkville through prayer, weekly meetings and a missions focus.
Not to forget Jono and the semester 1 prayer session, which saw almost a 50% increase in those engaged in prayer for the campuses compared to the same time last year.
In all we now have a weekly influence on 8 campuses. That being said we would love you to pray with us to see that influence grow on each campus and to see more groups start on other campuses.

O WEEK UPDATES: Melbourne Uni – 115 new members! 18 students at Welcome dinner! 30+ students at week 1 main meeting! Law student prayer is began on 29/1/12! English class started on 1/3/12! Monash – 20+ sign ups! LaTrobe Bundoora – 5 pages of new contacts. A dozen interested in church launch! RMIT – Connect group starting! Victoria Uni – 40+ signs ups! Began first connect group, Tuesdays 1pm-2pm. Starting another connect group next week!

LATEST NEWS: We had our pre semester prayer session on Wednesday 22nd of February with 48 students and campus workers with 6 of the 8 Universities represented. Thus far we have had O week at Victoria University with double the amount of sign ups that we need. Also Monash and Melbourne have their O days Thursday 23rd of Feb and Friday 24th of Feb. Please keep us in your prayers. The next combined event is a Melbourne city tour which we expect anywhere between 50-150 students.

Over the past 12 months, groups on Swinburne University, Deakin University, Monash University, La Trobe University and University of Melbourne have been in contact with over 500 students, through various social, church and discipleship events.

Swinburne University, Hawthorne Campus, have had fortnightly Christian hang outs as well as started a Basketball Outreach Program.

Deakin University, Warrnambool Campus, have planted a Saturday night church service on campus for those students who can’t normally make it to a church service. Lifegroups have been formed and students are being discipled.

Monash University, Inner City Campus, have held weekly meetings, on top of an Outreach Event that pooled 80 students and their social events on campus such as Waffle days and BBQs.

Our aim at University Together is to help students at La Trobe feel connected and cared for. Through this approach, our goal is to introduce students to the relationship they were created to have with our heavenly Father. We are committed to creating a strong sense of community amongst students and to motivate them to reach out to others and to reach their full potential in life through Christ.

University of Melbourne has had weekly meetings, fortnightly law student prayer meetings and various social events.
They have connected with 40 Chinese students each week for English classes and from this, have created a discipleship course for these students. Mid year 2011, they saw 70 students participate in the Melbourne City Tour.Their monthly social events have ranged from cherry picking to activities at a local park.

In early September 2011, a downtown city restaurant was filled with Christians working in the legal profession, Christian law students and their friends to discuss the topic of ‘Resilient Love’ and how the principles found in 1 John 4:18-19 can be applied in legal practice. It was a night where connections were made, encouragement was exchanged and hope for this profession was renewed (with some delicious food as well!).

A ‘Christian lawyer’ may seem like an oxymoron, but they do exist! Obviously, so do Christian law students, however, it may take a while to find them- especially in an area of study (and profession) that is seemingly hostile to the idea that faith could contribute positively to society.

So how do I get connected with other Christians in this profession?

Click the link at the bottom of this article and ask for more information about the Victorian Christian Legal Society (VCLS). There is usually an informal lunch for Christian legal professionals and students held on the last Friday of each month. There is no structure, no agenda and no study – just good conversation and you are welcome to invite those who aren’t Christians as well.

I’m still a student. How can I get connected with other Christians studying law?

Click the link at the bottom of this article to connect with other Christians studying law. If there isn’t a group on your campus, why not initiate something? Start with prayer and if connecting with other Christian law students is on your heart, God will bring it together!

This is how the Melbourne Uni Law Students Prayer Group was formed in Semester 2, 2011. Posters were stuck on toilet doors, notices were put up on the student portal and with the support of Universe, a Christian ministry on main campus, the group began meeting once a fortnight to pray together, for each other, for their friends and for their law school. It has been a great opportunity for law students of all year levels to connect and encourage each other in the faith. Another initiative that is beginning in October 2011 at Melbourne Uni is a book club that will discuss the intersection of faith and justice.

If you would like more information on any of the activities happening at Melbourne Uni for law students or would like help in setting up a group on your campus, feel free to CLICK HERE. Remember that a faith journey in the law school is not something you need to do alone but can be done with others.

– Amy Nhan, 2nd year, JD student at the University of Melbourne

WATCH THIS SPACE to find out plans for O week on your campus and to hear about the new groups being formed on campuses this year!